Protecting Her: A Romance Bundle

The alarm chimed too early in the dark room and I groaned as I reached to hit the snooze. I didn’t love getting up early anyway but to do it here and leave this warm bed sounded terrible, making me sigh as he pulled me closer to him. “Are you sure you want to take me? I can send Noel a text and she can come by.”

“It’s fine. If you want to shower, there’s clean towels and everything that you need in the bathroom,” his voice was soft with sleep as I felt him press his lips against my hair. “I’ll dress for a run when it’s time to take you in.”

“You’re insane,” I smiled as I kissed him before walking into the bathroom to shower. I made it fast and braided my hair that was still damp. I put on enough makeup to give my pale skin some definition and tugged on my work clothes. It felt so foreign to be here with him and I glanced around the cozy bachelor bathroom as I lined my lips with some stain. When I walked back into the dim bedroom, Rob was just pulling on a t-shirt as I stopped and stared at him. He was gorgeous and I licked my lips and he smiled at me.

We walked into the living room as I pulled on a coat and he slipped a running jacket on. “You’re really going to jog now?” I asked in disbelief as he nodded with a smirk.

“Yes. It’s quiet out and I have to work early. Being in the military has made me an early riser by nature.” He gazed at me as I shook my head, longing to be able to stay in bed longer. We went into the garage and he backed out into the dark morning as I leaned my head back and breathed him in.

“I had a great time last night. I think that Marta would welcome you for dinner every night, you know.” I smiled at him.

“If you’re up to it, I’d like to cook for you some night. I don’t want to demand that you sleep in my bed every night but I’d love that.” Robert pulled in front of the cafe to see Noel talking to Dennis as she waited for me. I looked at him and blushed as he pressed a soft kiss to my lips before pulling away. “I’ll come in for coffee when I’m done with the run.”

I nodded and slid out of the vehicle to walk in with Noel. She gave me a knowing smile as she unlocked the door, leading the way inside as I grinned. “Shut up.”

“I think we’re going to have to get some help here so you can sleep in with your man sometimes,” Noel mused as I laughed. “He cares for you, you know.”

“Maybe,” I replied as she turned on the lights in the kitchen while I found something to listen to. She started mixing the usual batters and I made coffee, going to help her with two cups.

There was something about this morning that felt good. We sang along to the music playing as we prepared the muffins for baking, making me smile as I slid Robert’s chocolate ones into the hot oven. “So where do you think this might go?” Noel asked as I glanced at her, nibbling my lip.

“He seems to want to spend time with me. I know that he wants me, too. I think that I’m considering that,” I smiled at her as she walked over and hugged me. “How do you know when it’s right?” Noel had long since lost her virginity but she had to remember the uncertainty of it all.

“He’s not pushing you, is he?” She asked me as I shook my head. “Good. I know he’s older and probably has a lot of experience with the way that he looks, but that can also be a good thing. He knows how to treat a woman and from what I’ve seen, he’s great to you. It’s the little things about him that I notice the most, you know? Mom, too.”

“What little things do you mean?” I asked before I looked at the clock. “I have to head out there and get ready to open. We’ll talk later.” I managed to get everything done and let Mike in with a soft giggle as he looked me over. I met him at the counter and got his stuff ready as he asked me why I was so cheerful this morning. Noel was bringing stuff out to stock the case and told him that I had a new boyfriend and hadn’t stopped smiling in a few days. I glared at her as the door opened back up and a few people walked inside, one of whom was Robert. I grinned just like she’d mentioned and Mike turned around to see what I was looking at.

“Told you,” Noel chirped as she turned to head to the back for more goodies, setting aside a muffin for Robert with a wink. I shook my head as Mike seemed to size him up before going to his usual table. I helped the customers in front of him as I tried to focus on what they were saying to me. I knew that I failed and narrowed my eyes at him, taking in his damp shirt that clung to his muscles as I took a deep breath.

This was dangerous.

He ordered and I refused his money this time, sliding his order across the counter as he shook his head at me. I was thinking

about the ways that I would like to thank him for his continued business as heat washed over my skin, something that made his eyes gleam as he took it all in. I noticed that he went to his usual table, only to be joined by Mike as my eyes widened. What was he saying to Robert?

A woman came in wearing a skimpy jogging outfit and I recognized her as the woman that was flirting with Robert in the past. She stepped up to the counter and ordered some tea, and as I took her money I realized that she was close to Robert’s age. She was also gorgeous and I started wondering if I was enough for him since I didn’t feel like I had her confidence. Between that and Mike being caught up in a conversation with Robert, my mind started to race and the good mood that I’d had this morning faded away.

Of course, the woman looked over at Robert before taking a seat at the couch by the fire. She smiled as she picked up one of my favorite books and started to read it, leaning back as she crossed her tight runner’s legs.

I didn’t run. It showed in the curves that Robert promised me that he liked but I looked down at myself and nibbled on my lip. I reminded myself that he wouldn’t be spending any time with me, much less doing the intimate things that I loved if he didn’t want to. People had choices in life and I wasn’t the aggressor in this situation.

I focused on tidying up in between orders, sipping from a cup of coffee that was perched against the back wall. Robert spoke with Mike for about an hour before clapping him on the back and standing to leave, and I watched as the blonde woman smoothed her perfect ponytail and smiled his way, but Robert didn’t give her a second look. He walked over to me and leaned in as I walked up to the counter. “I think I’ll take some muffins in tomorrow to base. Can you guys make two dozen and mix up the flavors for me?” I nodded as his eyes swept over my body. “I’ll call you later, Molly.”

“I’d like that, Rob.” I heard myself and frowned. “Do you mind me calling you that? I just realized that I was.”

“No. It’s informal and I love it for that reason alone.” He smiled and pushed back from the counter as he stared at my lips for a moment. I knew that he wanted to kiss me and my legs were shaking with the need to crawl across the counter as I twitched. “Take care of yourself. I’ll talk to you soon.” There was a note of regret in his voice as he walked away and I almost reached out to stop him, but for what reason? What would I say?

The door closed and he was gone, along with the electricity in the air that I felt whenever he was around. I sighed and wiped at a tiny drop of coffee on the counter for a moment before looking over the dining room. Some of the tables had cleared and I happened to notice the jogger was gone as well. Oddly enough, it was close to Robert’s exit and I looked through the glass to see her talking to him by his car as insecurity struck me all over again. When I went out there to clean up tables, I noticed Mike smiling at me from his usual table. I remembered that he was talking to Robert and frowned as I considered asking him what they were discussing. “I like him,” he told me as I looked back out the window to see that blonde watching him back up. “You girls are like my own granddaughters and I needed him to know that as well. I look out for people that I care about.”

All the warm feelings from living in a small town flooded me as I looked at the floor. “Thank you.”

“I think that he has good intentions with you, Molly.” I nodded and sniffled as he patted my arm, slowly making my way around the room to clean. I had a few hours left of my shift but I felt good right now in this moment.

I’d decided to take a nap by the time we were leaving, and that was when I realized I left my backpack over at Robert’s house. I knew that I had everything that I needed at home for the night, but I smiled as I thought about going over to get it later tonight. When my eyes dropped closed in the car, I pushed that thought to the back of my mind.

17

Robert